The difference, by ear
New wave used the same cheap synthesisers to write hits. Coldwave used them to sound like nobody was listening.
Both are sung cleanly, but new wave is a little faster: 120 to 160 bpm against 90 to 130. To hear the difference, play Trisomie 21 next to Talking Heads. Both grew out of post-punk, new wave first and coldwave / minimal wave three years after.
In figures
Coldwave / minimal wave
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Post-punk › Coldwave / minimal wave
In short
European post-punk on cheap drum machines: cold synths, distant vocals, the atmosphere of a grey housing block in winter.
How it sounds
- A cheap drum machine - Roland TR-606, Korg - and a monophonic synthesizer.
- Chorused guitar, used sparingly and for texture.
- Distant vocals, often in French, over lo-fi production.
Key acts
- Trisomie 21
- Asylum Party
- Martin Dupont
Start here
The pickTrisomie 21 - Le Repos des Enfants Heureux. Grey-tower-block melancholy in pure form.
Full page →New wave
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Post-punk › New wave
In short
Post-punk's commercial face: synthesizers, hooks and jerky rhythms. Punk without the rage, but with the same ideas.
How it sounds
- Polyphonic synthesizers and drum machines alongside rock instruments.
- Jerky, staccato rhythms, often with funk or reggae influence.
- Clean production, radio-ready choruses and strong visuals for MTV.
Key acts
- Talking Heads
- Blondie
- The Cars
- Devo
Start here
The pickBlondie - Parallel Lines. Perfect pop with a CBGB past.
Full page →